Foldable curtain



March 4,1930. 0. H. NORDELL FOLDABLE CURTAIN Filed May 28, 1927 2 Shets-Sheet 1 March 4, 1930. c. H. NORDEILL U J FOLDABLE CURTAIN Filed May 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES ,ATENT CARL H. NOBDELL, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T FOLDING PRODUCTS COB PORATION? OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FOLDALBLE CURTAIN Application filed Kay 28,

aware that foldable curtains have been constructed which employ a plurality of wooden stiles in their framework, such foldable curtains have been Very unsatisfactory due to the warping of the wooden stiles which inevitably distort the curtain, causing it to bulge at the warped stiles and causing the sliding members to bind in their respective guides.

One of the objects of my invention is the elimination of the foregoing difliculties by the provision of a foldable curtain comprising a plurality of channeled metal stiles having wooden inserts in their channels for the support of the curtain fabric by means of tacks or other convenient fastening means, thereby overcoming the defects in the structure above mentioned, but retaining the most economical method of securing the curtain fabric thereon.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a novel foldable curtain comprising a supporting frame. which is uniformly extensible to unfold such curtain, sound m-' sulating coverings for said frame including an exterior layer of decorative material and means for guiding the curtain during its extension and for supporting it in the extended relation. 7

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, 1n which silnilar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is an elevational view with the curtain covering partially broken away to show the mechanism;

Figure 2 is a plan cross sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

' Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational cross sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1;

1927. Serial No. 195,021.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional plan view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevational detail view of the mechanism shown in Figure 5.

. Referring to Figure 1, 10 indicates in its entirety my foldable curtain, which comprises a plurality of extensible members 11 and 12 which are secured to a plurality of transversely disposed frame members 13 in such manner that the frame members are uniformly extended and spaced by said extensible members. for the foldable partition comprises the adjacent walls, floor and ceiling, or a door frame.

The extensible members 11 and 12 may consist of a plurality of flat metal links 16, each of which is pivotally connected to one or another series of metal links 17 at the ends of said links. The links 16 and 17 are also pivotally connected at their opposite ends as at 20 and at their mid points as at 18, forming an extensible member which may have its length changed by the pivotal movement of the links described, but which is uniformly extensible in substantially a straight line. ln order to connect the extensible members 11 and 12 to the transverse frame members 13, all of the upper pivotal points 21 of the links 16 and 17 are pivotally connected'to the transverse frame members 13.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be observed that the links 16 and 17 may be joined at their mid-points by a bolt 18 passing through both of said links and having nuts upon each -end.. The upper ends of the links 16 and 17 may likewise have a bolt 19 passing through apertures in said links, and the same bolt 19 may support tubular spacing members 22 on each side of said links for the purpose of spacing the links between the transverse frame members 13 further to be described.

The transverse frame members 13 may consist of channeled metal members 23, preferably of substantially U-shape having a central web 24 and a pair of outwardly The supporting structure turned flan es and 26. The web 24 may be provid with an aperture to receive the bolt 19 and each end of the bolt 19 may be securedin the web of a channeled member 23 by a nut 27. The channel between the flanges 25 and 26 may be filled by a wooden stri section, the strip and web being provided with a plurality of aligned apertures to receive a plurality of countersunk bolts 29 having nuts 30 to secure the wooden strips 28;

bers 13 may be uniformly extended and spacedby the extensible members 11 and 12,

it will be obvious that the lower pivotal points of the links 16 and 17 as at 20 will not be connected to the frame members 13 but will be provided with a simple pivotal connection such as is shown in Figure 4. The link 16 is here joined by a bolt 31 passing through both links 16 and 17 and secure by a nut 32. In order to secure the frame structure to the wall of a building or the frame of a door, the end frame member 33 may be similar to the frame members 13 previously described, and this frame member ma be fixedly mounted on the door frame or wa l by a plurality of bolts, screws or other convenient fastening means. The upper ends of the last link 17 are, of course, pivotally connected to the frame member 33 in the usual manner, but the lower ends of the end links 16 beyond the central bolt 18 may be eliminated, as these ends cannot be connected and are not required.

At the opposite end of the curtain frame there may be provided a transverse frame member 34 of slightly different structure, which is adapted to form a rounded end for the curtains. The frame member 34 may consistof a pair ofchanneled members 23 having their channels filled with similar strips of wood 28 and the two channeled members 23 may be supported in spaced relation by a wooden strip 35 of substantially rectangular cross section and of such size as to space the channeled members 23 a distance equal to the space provided between them by the spacers 22 and links 16 and 17. The channeled members 23, the wooden strips 28, and the wooden strip 35 may all be secured together by a plurality of bolts assing through all of these members and liaving a. head and nut countersunk within the strips 28. The rounded forward end of 28 of substantially rectangular crosswooden strip this frame member may be provided by a strip of wood 36 of a width equal to the full width of the frame member and having its forward corners 37 rounded to present a finished appearance for the corners of the curtain. e strip 36 may be secured to the wooden stri 35 y a plurality of bolts or screws or ot er convenient fastening means. In order to secure the frafne member 34 to the links 16 there may be provided a pair of right angled brackets 40 secured to the 35 byone or more screws 41, and the on links 16 may be connected to said bracket by a bolt 39.

It will thus be observed that the extensible members 11 and 12 may be extended by pulling upon any of the frame members or upon the extensible members so that the links 16 and 17 will cause the frame members 13 to separate from 'each other due to the pivotalconnection of the frame members and the top pivots of the links 16 and 17. In

order to provide for the uniform extension of both of the extensible members 11 and 12, a connecting link 42 may be provided at frequent intervals betweenevery fourth or fifth pair of stiles, extending from the bolts 18 of the up r extensible member 11 to the bolts- 18 of t e lower extensible member 12. It will thus be observed that if the upper extensible member is extended by pulling on the front-frame member 34, this will cause the links 16 and 17 of the extensible member 11 to assume a position more near to the horizontal, as the upper pivotal, points of the links 16 and 17 are secured to the stiles and this will raise the bolts 18 at the intermediate pivot points, pulling upward on the connecting links 42 and causing the intermediate points of the links on the lower extensible member to move in a like direction.

In order to provide means which will assure the extension of the curtain with the transverse frame members parallel to each other, I prefer to provide sliding guides upon a plurality of the lower pivotal points 20 of the links 16 and 17 in the manner shown in Figure 5. The guides above mentioned may consist of flat plates 46 secured upon the bolts 20 which are employed to pivotally connect the lower ends of the links 16 and 17. The bolts 20 may pass through both of said links, and a pan of plates 48. on each side of said links, thereby securing the plates of the. pivot. The plates 48 may support on each side a pair of elongated angle irons 49 by a plurality of rivets, the angle irons being so spaced as to permit them to slide up and down upon the channels 23. I prefer to providethese guides upon the lower pivotal points of the links at a plurality of points on the extensible member, generally at every fourth or fifth lower pivotal point.

" bers 23and to maintain the frame members 13 at right angles to the direction of extension of the curtain. In order to secure the curtain at its top and to guide it during its extension, theend frame member 34, as well as a plurality of the other vertical frame" members, may" be provided with an upper guide plate 50 comprising a flat metal member which may be attached to the upper end of the wooden strip 35, the guide strip being twisted at right angles to provide a projecting portion 51 extending parallel to the motionofthecurtain. Inordertolocatetheguide strip '50 below the top of the curtain, the wooden strip may be shorter than the channeled members 23, terminating at 52, and similar guide stri s may be fixed to intermediate frame mem ers by affixing blocks of wood supportin the guide strips etween the channeled mem ers 23 at their tops. The guide strips 50 are preferably located on every fourth or fifth frame member 13.

In order to provide a guide for the guide strips 50 there may be mounted upon the ceiling or the upper frame of the door a guide 53 which may consist of a pair of strips of molding 54 an 55, decorated to correspond with the surr unding woodwork and supported as shown in Figure 3 by a plurality of short angle irons 56. The angle irons 56 have one side attached to the ceiling or frame of the door by a plurality of screws 57, while the other side extends vertically downward as at 58 for the support of the wooden strip 55. As the angle irons 56 are relatively short,

a plurality of them may he provided throughout the'guide-53 and they may he alternately reversed in location to support the strips 54 and 55. n

For instance, the angle iron 59 may support the strip 54 by screws or other conven 1ent fastening means, its other flange 60 extending under the wooden strip and being secured to the ceiling. The wooden strips 54 and 55 are thus supported in spaced relation along the line of direction of the extension of the curtain forming a slot which is adaptcd' to receive the edge 51 of the guide strip.

The lower edge of the wooden strips 5 and screws or other fastening means and spaced from each other a distance slightly less than the slot between the wooden strips.

The facing strips 61 and 62 thereby provide a finished appearance for the bottom of the guide and a metallic edge, against which the sides of the guidestrip 51 may slide in the extension of the curtain. It will thus he observed that when the curtain is extended the guide strips 50 will slide along the guide 53 and maintain the top of the curtain along a straight line so as to make a flat partition or closure in the position desired.

The bottom of the curtain may likewise be wardly turned. The lower flanges 69 of the channeled members 67 and 68 may be attached to a flat plate 70 by rivets or other convenient fastening means,thereby formin a central slot 71 to receive the slider 64. he upper flanges 72 of the channeled members 6? and 68 may be provided with metal facing strips 73 secured thereto by rivets or other convenient fastening means and providing a smooth and finished surface for the rollers 65. I

The rollers 65 may be rotatably supported upon a shaft 74, having square shoulders at I each end to be received in the U bracket 7 5 and a plurality of spacing washers 7 6 on each side of said rollers. The shaft 74 may also have a non-circular section at its middle be tween two washers 76 for the purpose of nonrotatably supporting the slider 64. The slider 64 consists of a flat strip of fixedly supported upon the shaft 74.- and projecting downward beyond the rollers 65 to be received in the slot 71.

The U bracket 7 5 with its rollers and slider may be supported by means of an angle iron bracket 77 having its lower flange 7 8 riveted to said if bracket and its upper flange secured by bolts or screws to the back side of the wooden strip 35 of the front frame member. The rollers 65 should be supported on the frame member 35 in such position that they are adapted to support the frame member a slight distance above the floor and to permit the frame members to be extended with ease, rolling upon the rollers 65. The curtain is preferably provided with similar supporting rollers at every fourth or fifth frame memher 13 and the brafckets 77 may be secured upon blocks of wood bolted between the lowor ends of the frame members 13 wherever the rollers are desired.

. The framework, which has been constructed as described,- may be covered with an envelope, preferably consisting of an unbroken sheet of material extending from one side of the curtain adjacent the frame member 33 about the end frame member 34 back to the other side of the curtain, but if desired joints may be provided at the frame members 13 where they may be concealed by a finishing strip. The envelope 80 may consist of an inside layer 81 of thick felt which is covered by an outside layer 82 of decorative material such-as tapestry, silk or artificial leather.

The covering 80 may be secured to the frame members 13 when they are in extended relation by tacks 83 or other convenient fastening meansextending into the wooden strips 28. The tacks 83 are preferably driven through a finishing strip 84 having a air of when the other.

folds' 85 bending back toward themid 1e and finished with a bead 86. The folds 85 are stitched to the bottom 87 of the finishing strip, but the beads 86 may be'bent a art, a tackinserted driven through the finishing stri and the covering and its head concea ed by the beads 86 which tend to close together. If'desired, additional tacks or fastening means may be providedunderneath the finishin strip to secure the covering 80 and the emfs of pieces ofthe covering may be concealed underneath the finishin strip.

The. covering 80 is preferably astened upon the frame members 13 when they are in extended position, and sufiicient length of covering is referably used so that the envelope will nd' outward a sli ht amount between the frame members. e envelope is thus ada ted to fold outward with ease rame members approach each When the curtain is collapsed by pushing to the left upon the frame member 34, the links 16 and 17 will assume a position more nearly vertical, the frame members 13 will approach each other and the portion of the coverin 80 between adjacent frame members will bu ge outward forming a fold midway between the frame members. The curtain may thus be folded into a very small fraction of the s ace it occupies when extended. The connecting link 42 1s ada ted to assure the actuation of both extensib e members at the same rate and to maintain the forward edge of the curtain as well as all of the frame members 13 in vertical position. If desired the connecting links may be made bifurcated at one end and connected between the piv ots 20. 7

It will be evident that the decorative surface 82 may be made of any color or finish to correspond with the surrounding woodwork or the walls and that the curtain thus rovided is adapted to separate a large room into a pluralit' of units or to be used as closures for ordinary rooms. The thick felt layer of the outer covering'provides a heat insulating and sound insulating layer, together with the dead air space between both sides of the covering which effectively prevents the transmission of heat and the transmission of sound from one room to another.

It will thus be observed that I have invented a folding curtain which is adapted to be folded into a space which is a very small fraction of the extended length of the curtain and that my curtain is provided with frame members which are ada ted to resist the warping action which mig t be present where ordinary wooden frame members are employed. M curtain is also'adapted to be extended unifbrmly at the top and bottom and to .be held in its extended position by guides which do not detract from the finished appearance of the room and which do not present obstructions upon the floor.

While I have illustrated anddescribed a specific embodiment of m invention, many modifications may be ma e without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the recise details of constructions set forth, but esire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the ap nded claims.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Let- Y above said artition, and s 'dabl engaged by said stiles, tween said channe ed members, and a flexible coverin of sound and heat insulating material carried by said stiles.

2. In a foldable'partition, the combination ofa supportin structure, with a plurality of stiles, said stifes comprising pairs of channelled metalmembers with outwardly turned channels, wooden fillers in said channels and spacers between said channelled members, a pair of extensible members located between said pairs of channelled members and comprising a pgeurality of links pivoted together, said links in pivotally mounted at similar points on said channelled members, guide means carried by said supporting structure above said artition, and slidaby engaged by said stiles, tween said channelled members, a flexible covering of sound and heat insulating material carried by said stiles, a uide carried b said su porting structure low said partition, gui e lugs carried by certain of said spacing members on said stiles, and rollers carried by said spacing members for supportin said stiles.

3. In a oldable partition, the combination .of a supporting structure, having upper and lower guide members, with a purality of stiles, said stiles comprising pairs of channelled metal members with channels outwardly turned, spacing members between said channelled members, and securing means for said channelled members comprising pivotal members for an extensible linkage, wooden fillers for said channelled members, a flexible covering for said stiles comprising a fabric layer and a felted layer carried by said fabric layer, a pair of extensible linkages having similar links pivotaly mounted on said pivotal members, and means for connectin other pivotal points of said. linkages, to e ect uniform extension of said stiles.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 19th day of May, 1927 CARL H. NORDELL, 

